A few weeks ago, we found out that some cats had started taking over shrines in Thailand. While that might make our furry friends seem extremely impious, it’s also exactly the kind of hubris that we suspect cats particularly delight in. Now, you may be wondering if the same thing could happen in Japan–and the answer is: Of course!

While we’ve long suspected cats of being emissaries of the spirit world, these photos should make it clear that your kitten isn’t just adorable–it’s holy adorable!

When a Japanese Twitter user removedthe covering from the top of her kotatsu (heated table) for cleaning, she discovered that she had disrupted the peaceful slumber of the thing that was lurking beneath…make that things, and cute things, in fact!

Oh, to be a cat, and inhabit one of those fluffy, soft, ultra-bendy bodies. It’s well-known that cats are so flexible as to be basically a liquid with fur, and what this means is that they’ve got an uncanny knack of being able to relax comfortably in the most awkward of positions. Take Akimbo Kitty, the cat from these snaps, who couldn’t be happier to be sunken into that beanbag/chair thing. Just look at those jaunty toes!

Like it or not, cats are pretty much in the fast lane to world domination. They’ve already invaded our homes, taken over the internet, and have even got us going to extreme lengths to give them the very best. Take this new, high-tech cat feeder for example, which not only weighs your cat and keeps track of how much they eat and drink, but, if you have multiple cats, can even recognize each one’s face and allows you to watch them eat in real-time from your phone.

You’d be forgiven for thinking, “Not another ‘talking pet’ video!” YouTube is positively overflowing with them, after all, despite the fact that most of the time it’s only the owners who are able to decipher what their pets are supposedly “saying” before the camera.

Many netizens agree, however, that YouTuber luckersingo’s gorgeous cat Māya is actually meowing out the three-syllable Japanese greeting for good morning, “Ohayō!” Don’t believe us? Watch this talkative kitty in action and decide for yourself!

We’ve talked before about how to outsmart your cat and get it to sit wherever you want just by marking your floor with duct tape, cords, or even scarves. But enclosed spaces, whether real or implied, aren’t the only thing cats are attracted to. As experts in relaxing, they’re always on the lookout for a ray of warming sunshine, and will abandon their ordinarily contrary nature to follow its path like the hand of clock, as shown in this adorable time-lapse video that will have you ready for a catnap of your own.

If, like me, you just can’t get enough cats in your life, then you’ll probably remember how last month we introduced you to this Japanese workplace that’s filled with cats! The Tokyo-based IT company which owns nine adorable rescue cats (which are free to play and snooze around the office as they please) has since been posting regular kitty updates to their dedicated Twitter account, so we thought it was about time we updated you!

Join us after the jump for brand-new pics of what has to be the world’s most purrfect work environment!

Yet another feline made rounds on Japanese internet when his owner uploaded a picture of him behaving like a worn-out middle-aged man at home, comfortably lazing on the sofa while watching the TV. He sure resembles the stereotypical image we have of exhausted oji-san (middle aged man) office workers who come home from work and end up on the couch in a slump!

Cat lovers in New York City have rejoiced since mid-December, when Meow Parlour, the city’s first cat cafe, opened its doors.

For the uninitiated, lets explain what a cat cafe is. It’s not a place where you take your own cat to hang out and have coffee. It’s not a restaurant that has cats on the menu. It is a place where you can enjoy the companionship of cats while sipping on coffee and munching on a cat-shaped macaron.

What are some popular cat names in your country? Back in the UK, where I’m from, you can hardly step outside without a Tigger, Smudge, Felix, or Sooty crossing your path. It stands to reason that Japan also has a dedicated pool of much-loved kitty names to choose from, and pet insurance company Anikomu recently conducted a poll to find out which ones are the most popular.

Japan loves its pets, and while the size of Japanese homes means the family cat or dog might not have as much space as it would in the U.S., doting owners here are perfectly happy to provide creature comforts for their creatures. Having less space in the house can make putting in a full-size scratching post for your kitty kid of tricky, though, especially if you’d like to occasionally move it out of the way for some extra floor space.

Thankfully, what these compact alternatives give up in size they make up for in cuteness, with a ring-shaped design decorated like the label of one of Japan’s most popular brands of cat food.

It’s already Tuesday here in the Big J, but even though we’ve survived the day whose name shall not be spoken and which many of you are still enduring, the weekend still seems awfully far away. So for all you hardworking salarymen (and women!), here’s a super cute kitty cat to help you ease into the week. Watch him enjoy his prime heater-front real estate and dream of your own warm happy place.

Cats are dumb. They don’t even know how to interact with basic devices such as televisions, cooking ranges, mirrors, computers, or doors (well, sometimes they figure the last one out).

But not knowing what to do with these everyday items doesn’t stop felines from hopelessly pawing at them and hoping for something to happen, displaying that telltale curiosity cats are well-known for exhibiting… and occasionally dying from.

Take this adorable kitty that gets the surprise of its life after it stupidly paws at an iMac for a few seconds.

Sometimes our pets do crazy things to get our attention, whether it be for food, to play or just for some good ol’ loving. This adorable green-eyed feline seems to have tried everything to get his owner’s attention, but with little success, so he had to resort to some sort of strange yoga move. This pose did the trick, because he not only got the attention he craved, but that of the internet community too!

Cats are notorious for being finicky and difficult sometimes (okay, actually quite a lot of the time). As cat lovers we learn to cherish every head-butt and hand-nuzzle that our feline buddies dole out as and when the mood strikes them, but sometimes you’ve got to take matters into your own hands if you want to get some loving. If kitty’s resisting your advances, try gentlywrapping them up in a big old “purrito” with an old towel or blanket, then you’ll have a captive audience for your snuggles and smooches!

Trust us, cats love it, and if you don’t believe us, check out this purrito gallery!

If it’s worth saying once, it’s worth repeating hundreds of times over, cats own everything. It doesn’t matter what an object’s original purpose was, or who it was built for, because according to the cat, it was built for them.

It’s said that cats are also spiritual animals, that they can see spirits and beings that we humans can’t. Which is why, when you think about it, a cat moving into a shrine set up specifically for spirits, doesn’t makes a lot of sense. Because if cats can communicate with the other world, wouldn’t the two of them have a debate over who is the main tenant?

Cat cafes are still all the rage, and there are even cat pubs for adults to enjoy some feline company. So when we heard that Singapore now has a ‘cat museum,’ we were definitely excited.

When I first heard the name, I envisioned an actual museum with exhibits on the history of the feline race, along with a gift shop filled with adorable cat-inspired merchandise. However, the Cat Museum in Singapore, it turns out, is supposedly a non-profit organization. According to their official website, it’s “a mission with the message that every home or small office deserves a cat… or two!” Yeah, sure, I’d love a cat or two in my office!

While North America has its silly Groundhog’s Day festivities on February 2, Japan counters with even sillier Setsubun celebrations on February 3.

Festivities take place at temples, shrines and family homes. Usually the oldest male in the house puts on an oni (ogre or demon) mask and the rest of the people throw fukumame, literally “fortune beans” but really just dried soy beans, at them, then slam the door in the oni‘s big red face, while shouting “Demons out! Luck in!” to ceremonially expel demons from their homes and welcome good fortune for the coming year.

Some Japanese dog owners altered the celebrations a little this year, making their dogs the oni and thus creating the cutest little “demons” you’ll ever see.

Sometimes the news can get a little heavy-handed. Topics like terrorism or tax hikes can raise blood pressure, cause grumbling about the horrible state of the world, and eventually get to the point where it’s just so boring that you shut it off.

But one news show has figured out a way to keep viewers interested, even during the difficult parts: just have a cute cat walk around the news desk and be generally adorable while everyone is talking about serious subjects.